Finite Incantatum
by LeafoftheFox
Summary: Travel alongside Dudley as he learns about a whole new world and tries to fix mistake both past and future all while hiding an unbelievable secret! !Time travel, !Reincarnation
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I own Harry Potter just as much as I can fly (which isn't really quantifiable even if I could) which is to say not at all! All credit goes to J. and enjoy the story :D**

I couldn't see, I couldn't hear, I couldn't smell, hell I couldn't even feel. I had no form, no body and yet I still had a mind. What was that quote 'I think therefore I am'? That must've been easy to say for someone who actually had senses to verify their existence. As far as I knew I should be in 'paradise' or whatever comes after you die. To be honest I'd never thought about it much. Some paradise this was an endless void of nothingness. Apparently just a week in a sensory deprivation chamber could cause a human being to go irreversibly mad.

Maybe this was my punishment for all the people's lives I'd ended. My retribution. This was the theory that made the most sense to me, not that it made that much sense, but sometimes when dealing with the supposedly impossible there had to be a certain level of suspension of disbelief. It wasn't a foreign concept to me, dealing with the impossible that is. I had grown up with a wizard for a cousin and when I had reached adulthood I had joined the fight to protect him and others like him from the greed and fear of so many of those in power.

Now you may be wondering just what I'm blathering on about and I may as well explain since there's not much else to occupy my time right now. You probably all know the story of Harry Potter, The Chosen One, saviour of the wizarding world. This story starts many years after the end of that last book and it's not a happy one. I won't go into too much gory detail, but after many much enjoyed years of peace the magicals of Britain had become complacent and it had only taken one fanatical young supporter of Voldemort (enthralled by the tales of his power, which had become more exaggerated by the day) culling a group of 'muggles' in London in broad daylight. It had only taken one horrible tragedy and the wizarding world was exposed. There were too many witnesses to obliviate, too many people who had recorded the 'big bang' (as it was later called) and uploaded the videos onto the internet. The videos had gone viral in less than a day and there was no escaping the truth any longer.

At first the ministry seemed to have the situation under control. There were speeches, negotiations and a year after the event, magicals seemed to be integrating into muggle society and using their skills to help with problems small and large, but it's part of human nature to be afraid of the unknown. Each day the murmurs underneath everything grew louder the whispers at the back of people's minds became more solid. Since the beginning there had been groups screaming and protesting "where were they before?" "They're too powerful!" "They're not even human!" and as the months went on they gained steam they couldn't all be quelled. They gained support 'reaching out' to those who were vulnerable, those who's' loved ones could've been saved by magic and at the head of it all was the nigh all-consuming terror of the power magicals held, of what they could do and had done without repercussions. It was impossible to stem the tide of anger too many people in high places were desperately clinging on and took this as a chance for glory. "Stamp out the unnaturals!" "Get them before they get us". It may have been a slow thing, but it was unstoppable. One day I woke up and it was too late.

Laws were passed stating that magicals were not truly human and as such weren't due the same rights. Anyone who disagreed, like I did, was shunned. Magicals went back into hiding, but this time there was no secret safe house, this time they ran. Groups reformed, heroes from the previous war headed untrained groups of magicals and muggles alike and fashioned them into armies.

We fought long, we fought hard, but the odds were worse than a hundred to one and magical supporters dropped like flies. Anyone who openly supported rights for magicals was imprisoned or worse for being a 'traitor to human-kind'. It had been approaching a decade and a half of war (if you call a tiny group of homeless survivors lashing out in desperation at an undefeatable entity war) when I had died. It had been another of the many suicide missions I'd taken since my cousin's death. I had been trying to rescue a young group of muggle-born magicals (none had been older than ten. How could they?) from a lab that you don't want me to describe in detail and I guess fate just caught up to me. My death had been mercifully, disappointingly quick, a bullet between the eyes as I tried to buy as much time as possible for the others to escape. I don't know if they did, but I hope so.

 _ **"Young one"**_ an ethereal voice interrupted my grim reminiscence _**"it does not do to dwell on the past"**_ , I'm sure I would've tripped out of shock if I'd been in possession of a body at that time. The voice was genderless and radiated power, which washed through my entire being. _'Bloody hell!'_ was my first thought. ' _Aaaaaahhh!'_ was my was a strange sound (though sound was already strange given my lack of ears) and after a few immeasurable moments I realised it was laughter. I wanted to be offended, but I hadn't heard such a joyous sound in so long, any laughter I'd heard recently had been grim and bitter. _**"I am flattered you enjoy the sound of my laughter young one"**_ the voice echoed through me. Wait! Could it hear my thoughts?! No, forget that. Stupid question of course it could, I was currently only thought. I got an impression of approval. _'Who are you'_ I tried to direct my thoughts as my constant paranoia drilled into me with pain anguish returned after being absent in my shock at the situation _ **. "Mm"**_ it (spoke?) ponderingly, _**"You may address me as Magic"**_. I could feel the power in the word. It finally replied after a tense eternity. The laughter echoed again, a sound like tinkling bells, _ **"You exaggerate young one"**_. I went to frown before remembering I couldn't. _'What's with all this young one stuff?'_ I tried to bluster to hide my discomfort. _ **"Oh, I apologise young one. I did not really think for you did I?"**_ and just like that I was back in my normal body (strangely absent of its' regular aches and pains) on a field of never-ending lush green grass, lit by an invisible sun. Before me stood a hunched feminine figure draped in a twilight purple hooded cloak which betrayed next to nothing of their looks. The figure straightened and took a slow step forwards only to stop when I automatically tensed. _"Who are you?! Where am I!?"_ I snapped momentarily disregarding politeness in favour of getting answers. Even now I had a body my words seemed distorted as if I were hearing them through sheets of water. Somehow I knew the figure was smiling under that cloak " ** _I doubt you are so forgetful as to already not know my name"_** the power imbued voice returned this time radiating out from the purple-clad figure in a wave of dreary energy **_"As for where you are… Well that is unimportant right now"_**. _"Well what is important then?!"_ I hissed trying to disguise my growing panic. I felt another wave of energy wash over me, but this one was soothing, relaxing my tensed nerves. _**"I am here to offer you a second chance"**_ 'Magic' replied annoyingly cryptically _"Why me? Why now? And what is with calling yourself Magic?!"_

 _ **"Because that is what I am"**_ it replied ignoring my incredulously raised eyebrow _ **"I am Magic the mother, the beginning of all Magic on earth. This form is just a representation of my spirit and mind, for I live in all those with life. Yes even those deemed non-magical who are unable to unlock their potential"**_ , it (she? I got the impression of a female) spoke anticipating my question. _"That still doesn't explain why I'm here",_ I pointed out weakly. Magic sighed forlornly, _**"Oh, dear young one of course it does"**_ I felt a little guilty that I had been the one to make her sound so upset and she ploughed through these thoughts _**"I consider all those on earth my children and it tears me to see my precious children hurt each other as they have been doing so".**_ _'So it is my punishment then'_ I thought grimly accepting. Magic seemed horrified and it was then I recalled her ability to hear my thoughts, as she'd stated previously this form was only for my comfort (strange that she would comfort someone she wanted to punish). _**"No! That you would assume so-!"**_ Magic paused for what I assumed was her equivalent of a calming breath. _ **"You have spent many years working so hard for peace, to bring humans together uncaring of their differences. Despite your not so kind actions as a child you were noble in life and in death. I would, if you wish it, return you to a time when there is still the chance to prevent this cruel outcome and save your cousin who I had wished so much better for"**_. I paused to take this in could it really…? _"You mean… like time travel? I could save Harry"_. Magic's head dipped in confirmation _**"Yes young one and, that you may be closer to him, I would give you my blessing".**_ I was shocked I'd never expected something like this. My eyes were wide with disbelief as I processed the implications. Her blessing. Did that mean... that I would have-. I hesitated to even think the word: Magic. The warm energy encompassing me in an instant was all the confirmation I needed. I knew the old childlike wonder I'd felt back when magic had begun to become common was sparkling in my eyes, washing away years. _**"I would also bestow upon you protection that no curious, prying beings may access your memories or thoughts of this erased time"**_. I thought of all the lives that could be saved; all the orphans that would never be made; all the derelict magical communities that would never stop thriving and all the children that would never have to hide their tears and grow up too fast and my resolve was set. _**"Young one do you agree to return to an earlier time and prevent these horrors from ever having to exist?"**_ , Magic asked tearfully. Could primordial beings be tearful? _"I do"_ I responded with two simple words, firm and unwavering. The hood of Magic's star scattered cloak fell back without being touched and revealed a face that I would never be able to recall or describe in any detail, but I could tell you it was heart-stoppingly beautiful and her killing curse green eyes were forever seared into my mind's eye. It was a face that I imagined people would be able to stare at for an eternity without growing tired of it. I knew then that even it she didn't have a true form Magic could feel just as well as I could and this was her last hope for peace and happiness just as much as it was mine **_"Then I bestow upon you my blessing and send you back"._**

 _"Bye"_ I whispered weakly and for some reason as I did my voice cracked and I could feel a traitorous lump in my throat as a warning of the tears I was holding back. In the blink of an eye Magic had glided swiftly and elegantly across the grass and her arms were wrapping gently around me. As I once again lost all feeling and my vision whited out my soul becoming free to float away, I could've sworn I felt crystalline tears soaking through the shirt on my back and a wavering chiming voice murmur ** _"Goodbye and good luck my child. Dudley Dursley"_**

 **AN: Well I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of Finite Incantatum (I know stupid name I came up with it in a panic and my though process was really convoluted) and I hope you enjoy many more chapters to come. I can't say much for my update schedule, but I'll try to keep chapters to a reasonable length and warn you if I have to stop the story.**

 **On another note since he has Magic now eventually Dudley will be going to Hogwarts so which house should he be in: Hufflepuff or Gryffindor. Personally I'm bias towards Hufflepuff, but I just can't decide whether it's really the right fit so I'll leave it up to you dear min- uh I mean readers.**

 **Goodbye till next time go drink some tea (or your favourite beverage of choice) Byeeeeeeee!**

 **~Leaf :Dxxx**


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor will I ever unless I suddenly gain the ability to change memories worldwide which would be nice, but is unlikely to happen any time soon.**

 **Also just wanted to explain why I thought Gryffindor and Hufflepuff would fit Dudley and the other houses wouldn't.**

 **Ravenclaw: I think this is the most obvious as Dudley never has and never will in my mind be much more than average intelligence.**

 **Slytherin: It takes a certain degree of intelligence which I don't think Dudley has to be cunning and although his goal is ambitious, Dudley is only really aiming for such a hard task for the sake of others which leads me on to-**

 **Hufflepuff: In the war Dudley has learned to intrinsically trust his comrades and his main motivator for coming back in time was loyalty to Harry and others and a wish to see them happy. It would also take a lot of hard work and dedication to persevere in the war for as long as Dudley did.**

 **Gryffindor: Dudley, to me, has always seemed very brash and reckless. He will jump head first into dangerous situations which is a very Gryffindor trait. Another reason is in the war Dudley would have to have shown many cases of bravery and chivalry just to survive and help people.**

 **-d-o-n-0-t-t-e-s-t-t-h-e-l-i-n-e-b-r-e-a-k-l-i-n-e-b-r-e-a-k-i-s-a-l-l-**

I had a sudden and startling return to human form. I was staring right at a boa constrictor many times the size of my own unfortunately blubbery form. My eyes were wide and my mouth was gaping open like a fish from the near deafening howl I had apparently just let loose. I was standing next to a scrawny rat-faced boy who, after a few seconds, I identified as Piers Polkiss my best friend when I was a child. 'You're a child now' I reminded myself absently as I stared dumbstruck at my very alive looking parents, not even chancing a glance at my cou- Harry (I could at least address him by his name, enough people had avoided it, myself included, over the years and instead favoured titles such as chosen one, The-boy-who-lived or my family's preferred moniker Freak). When I had agreed to come back so resolutely I had thought I had known that I would be seeing people I have lost and people unmarred by war, but the reality, the true experience of it I realized could never have been entirely prepared for. It hadn't quite sunk in that I would be with them, that they would be able to touch me and they would look at me differently through unhaunted eyes and that some of them wouldn't even know me at all. The revelation hit me like a physical attack. Being here would change the people I knew and never again would I have the grim comradery and shared morbid humour, gruellingly won through joint suffering and hard work. No, those people, the people that knew me as desperate soldier and a bitter friend, were gone and I had to accept that they weren't ever coming back. I shouldn't want them to come back because they were sad and weary, only fighting for the sake of fighting. As much as losing those bonds hurt, the people here mattered just as much and I still could and would help them.

Though just because I was dedicated to helping these people, that didn't mean that I didn't miss the people I'd left behind so sorely it almost felt like a genuine wound. It also didn't mean I didn't see those empty eyes and slack faces plastered on the people around me. I tried to focus solely on my father since at least I'd never seen a body for him. Vernon had been alone in the house when Magic haters had targeted it and burnt it to the ground just because he had sired a magic supporter. He was trapped inside. Dad had never been the best of people, but he had raised me and I loved him. Mum had been distraught at first before the many deaths that followed had hardened her to grief. Even as she died she blamed herself for his death. She hadn't been in the house because the two of them had separated just a week earlier because Mum had wanted to support me, protect me as I protested for magical rights before the war had truly started in earnest. Dad had despised magic too much to follow her. At least Mum had gone out smiling.

I was in shock. I knew focusing so much on that past wasn't healthy as Magic had told me, but I found this was the only way I could think of to anchor myself and I had to let these memories run their course at some point. It didn't occur to me at the time that I could've just as easily focused on Piers who had, when I last checked, lived a happy life with a wife and two children in the picture perfect normal family.

I barely responded as I was shuffled to the car, too lost in memories to hear my mother's flustered platitudes. I didn't register Piers' exaggeration of the snake 'attack'. I only stored away his words for review at a later date. My only visible reaction to the world was putting some distance between myself and Piers when prompted to further embellish his hyperbolas story. I later felt guilty for not intervening when D- Vernon (I couldn't, I just couldn't my father was dead even if they were the same person) ordered Harry to his cupboard, but it was probably for the best because such a sudden change in opinion would be suspicious even in the best case scenario. Vernon may not have been the smartest crayon in the box (neither was I for that matter), but he did pay attention to his son. After Mum had given Vernon his brandy she hurried me upstairs to my bedroom still fussing over whether her Duddykins was ok and trying to draw even a single word from my sealed lips or even slightly clear the glaze seen over my eyes that meant I was desperately blocking out the outside world and struggling not to succumb to the slippery slope of memory lane. I don't remember much from that short period other than a vague recollection of Mum coaxing me to chew mechanically on some food she'd prepared. I must have really worried her.

Hours later I wandered into the kitchen to grab my 'bedtime snack' and 'accidentally' dropped a sizeable amount of it outside Harry's cupboard where he would probably find it when he tried to sneak out for food after we'd fallen asleep. I had already allowed him to be trapped in that cupboard again without so much as a token of protest I couldn't let him starve too.

~~~~~~~~~~ ThIs line BreAk is vEry haPpy to MeeT yOu please say hElLO~~~~~~~~~~

Not much of note happened over the following weeks of school leading up to summer. I tried to drop Harry as much food as I could without alerting my parents. It had got to the point where Harry started to give me suspicious looks and I began to find some of various snacks reappearing in cupboards and my room stacked neatly together. I imagined if he wasn't afraid of Mum or Dad finding them he would be leaving little notes attached to the packets or confronted me directly. Harry knew I was up to something, but probably didn't entirely believe it because his only other proof was decreased interest in him and that could be attributed to the fact his punishment for the snake incident meant he was almost constantly trapped in his cupboard. I had also bought three inconspicuous black notebooks with money I'd received for my birthday. Mum probably would've bought them for me and saved me the money, but just the idea of acting even a little bit like the spoiled immature brat I used to be made me feel nauseous. I wrote rough notes of plans for how to counteract problems over the next few years. I didn't realize how hard all this would be until the responsibility rested solely on my shoulders.

I had to write all my notes in ancient runes, which Hermione had hammered into me with the declaration that even if didn't have magic they would be useful (which they had been), as it was the only language I knew. Anyone in Privet Drive coming across it in the next couple of years wouldn't be able to translate it. My knowledge was only basic and fragmented at best, but it would do the job until I could learn some of those secrecy charms or wards everyone had always seemed very obsessed about.

On another line of thought school was a nightmare. It was ridiculously hard to act like an eleven year old. My teacher had begun to become 'concerned with my mental development'. For people who never noticed anything wrong with Harry, the school staff could be annoyingly meddling. I was having to play down all my subject knowledge, but I got the impression that I wasn't quite succeeding. I'd already completed a full education and once school is over the knowledge just seems to blend together making it hard to discern when I learned what. It was agonizing to spend my time on something so trivial. There was also the problem of my 'gang': Piers, Dennis, Malcolm and Gordon. My friends had almost instantly noticed my change of heart. I wasn't initiating hunts or attacks on kids anymore and as much as they were bullies they were still my childhood friends and I could tell they were worried about me. I withdrew from all the kids my age, not knowing how to interact with them like I used to (and not really wanting to).

I dedicated a lot of effort to trying to reduce my weight in-time for the arrival of the letter. I had to talk to my Mum about my diet I told her I'd heard something at school about caring for your body making you look better. She had been reluctant at first worrying about how she had to 'make sure my Duddykins has enough meat on him', but I had persuaded her to take me to a doctor's where they had backed up what I was saying and assigned me a better diet years earlier than before. I also took to jogging around the neighbourhood to burn of some of my excess fat. Dad didn't put up much fuss about my new dietary habits after the first week when the neighbours started saying he was 'lucky to have such a hard working son'. Some of the neighbours even started waving to me when I was on my jogs. It was nice to once again feel safe in public, but it only made me feel all the more guilty at how Harry was treated. I had also noticed a significant increase in the number of children play in the local park which I attributed to the fact that I had managed to rein in some of my friends' more violent urges. Even if we weren't as close as we had been previously I still had a hefty sway over them which I tried not to take advantage of unless absolutely necessary. Yes all in all it was a startlingly, to me at least, boring few weeks.

~~~~I'm~~ running~~out~~of~~ideas~~for~~line~~breaks~~.~~What~~do~~I~~do~~!~~J~~~~

It was in the summer holidays that I really had my freedom to start putting some plans into motion. Harry was finally free of that dreadful cupboard and paranoia dictated I store provisions all over the neighbourhood in case I needed to escape at some point. Mrs Figg had seemed very bemused when I visited her house with a duffel bag asking her to store it in her wardrobe. I started to sell a lot of the useless clutter in my second bedroom to neighbourhood kids and online telling my parents it had broken or I got bored of it. Piers and the others seemed to visit a lot less this summer than I recalled from the first time around, but that suited my needs much better anyway and I spent most of my time outside either trying to build up my strength and reflexes or sneaking of to various shops up to miles away from home to buy things such as maps, water bottles, compasses, tinned food, sleeping bags etc. You wouldn't believe how much money my old junk was worth. I still couldn't access any magical communities, but I did some odd jobs and raised enough money to anonymously rent a flat in a seedier part of town (wonders of the internet) to be a safe house in case of emergencies. I tried many times to talk to Harry, but whenever I was alone he was conspicuously absent. I could tell he was avoiding me.

With everything else of importance that I could currently address dealt with as best as I could there was only one problem that I was still deliberating over. The letter. It wouldn't be hard to intercept the morning post and hide mine and Harry's letters to show him later, but did I really want to? I weighed the pros and cons. If I intercepted the letters there wouldn't be that whole kerfuffle with running away from the attack of the letters and Vernon wouldn't become enraged at Harry, but he would have to find out at some point and who was to say one time would be better than another? I would certainly rather have the support of a half giant when my father found out. On the other hand the first letter had got Harry a real room and I could just as easily intercept the second round of letters, but that still brought up the problem of when my parents would find out. On top of that even if Harry and I did keep our magic to ourselves until the last possible second we had no way of replying to Hogwarts and no way of getting school supplies unless I came up with a believable excuse for knowing about the existence of Diagon Alley it wasn't like I could just wander around hoping I bumped into a magical and then get into a conversation about magic with them and somehow bring up the fact that I'm a Hogwarts student and then ask for advice. This entire thing was ridiculous. Did they do this to all muggleborns? It's a wonder any agree to go to Hogwarts at all after all the worry and trouble those letters probably cause. Worrying like this is going to give me grey hairs and then Mum will be even more clingy.

I banged my head onto the wall of my bedroom and let out a muffled scream of frustration into my arm. One of my notebooks lay open on my bed. I'd only written about thirty pages in and the page that lay open had devolved into one giant scribble in my anger and I was sure I would regret it later, but at that time I couldn't bring myself to care. Yesterday Mum had taken me to buy my Smeltings uniform and I could see the mirth in Harry's eyes I'm sure I was bright red. Mum and Vernon making me parade around the living room in a maroon tailcoat and bright orange knickerbockers only made it worse and I'm sure Harry must have ruptured and organ or two with the visible effort it was taking him not to laugh. That uniform was ridiculous and I was glad I wouldn't actually have to wear it again. I don't know why I ever liked it. Knickerbockers. Really? I carried the Smeltings stick around with me on my father's insistence and the fact that if anything it would be a good weapon if I was attacked. That was another fault of Smeltings. What kind of school allows and even encourages child on child violence. I don't know how anyone believed that 'training for later life' wish wash. I also didn't like the implication that I would hit Harry with it, but I could bear with it for a while. I could smell a disgusting stench permeating the kitchen as I finally went downstairs, careful not to stomp so that harry wouldn't return to find a sawdust covered bed, and into the kitchen. I could see what looked like rags floating in some murky grey water in a large metal tub and Harry already sitting at the table. "Mum what's that for?" I asked wrinkling my nose a little as I tried to put as much distance between myself and the tub as possible. "Oh Duddy dear that's just Harry's Stonewall uniform now come eat breakfast you're looking a bit thin we wouldn't want you to be unhealthy" she tittered rushing me to a seat setting down a bowl of fruit and a plate of bacon and eggs. "Mum I'm fine we just need to stick to the diet the doctor set me" I reassured her gently then turned my head at the click of the letter-box and flop of letters onto the doormat. "Get the post Dudley" Vernon said from behind the paper he was engrossed in. "Ok" I agreed calmly noticing Harry's surprised wide eyes as I got up. He probably thought I was going to make him get it like I always used to. I would have to work on getting Harry's trust in the lead-up to school not only would it be useful to my plans, but I missed him. I had been close to Harry before he faded and it hurt me to have him so distrustful and suspicious of me.

It was when I saw the post that I realised how much I'd fucked up. "Shit" I swore loudly before glancing hurriedly back at the kitchen hoping my parents hadn't heard my slip-up. I let out a sigh of relief when I found they hadn't. Then again even if they had they probably wouldn't have done much to punish me I was too spoilt for that. I returned my focus to the pile of letters and carefully bent down to pick them up handling them as if they were made of glass. I hadn't realised they would come today. I wasn't ready. I still didn't have Harry's trust. I still hadn't decided what to do with them. I carefully withdrew two thick yellowish envelopes from the pile with trembling hands and dropped the bill and postcard from Marge. Each envelope had an address written in green. On one said:

 _Mr H. Potter_

 _The Cupboard under the Stairs_

 _4 Privet Drive_

 _Little Whinging_

 _Surrey_

And the other one asked for

 _Mr D. Dursley_

 _First bedroom_

 _4 Privet Drive_

 _Little Whinging_

 _Surrey_

The purple stylised H wax seal on the back made them unmistakeable. These were Hogwarts letters.

 **AN: Woo! New chapter. I have to say I would be lying if I denied skipping around my home for aa solid hour because I was so happy at how many people had read my story. Thanks for all your support!** **J**

 **In other news I have a poll up on my profile for which house Dudley should be in so you better get your votes in quickly because he'll soon be off to Hogwarts.**


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